These Protein Rice Crispy Treats are chewy and gooey, just like the childhood classic -AND with added protein! So when you want to indulge in something sweet pre or post-workout, these crisped rice cereal bars are pure perfection.
Classic rice krispies treats are undoubtedly delicious. However, making a batch of rice crispy treats from scratch lets you control the quality of the ingredients and gives these yummy nostalgic bars a protein boost!
This protein rice crispies treats recipe isn't squeaky clean as marshmallows do indeed contain sugar, but it's definitely better than processed snacks packed with empty calories and void of protein.
In addition, these rice crispy treats are an exceptionally convenient way to sneak extra protein into a picky kid's diet. I mean, who doesn't love a rice crispy treat?!
With a glass of milk, these rice crispy treats are an epic afterschool snack, but these treats aren't just for kids. Parents and fitness enthusiasts love them too!
These are SO much better than the store-bought protein rice crispy treats. There's just enough protein powder in each bar to power through a workout or recharge after a workout, but not enough to compromise the classic chewy, gooey texture!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. These rice crispy treats come together quickly with just four ingredients plus unflavored whey isolate protein powder.
- Kid-friendly. What kid doesn’t love this classic after-school snack?!
- Exercise snack. These bars are the perfect sweet and satisfying snack before or after a workout.
- Adaptable. The base crisped rice cereal bar is the perfect canvas for customizing. It's also easy to modify with gluten-free ingredients.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Crispy rice cereal - You can use Rice Krispies or any brand of rice cereal made from white rice. Feel free to use brown rice crisps as an alternative.
- Marshmallows - The sweet and creamy "glue" that holds the crisped rice cereal bars together. I recommend mini marshmallows here. Regular and jumbo marshmallows also work but will take a bit longer to melt down.
- Butter - Butter is melted down with marshmallows to improve flavor and texture. I like using olive oil butter blend sticks to make perfectly chewy rice crispy treats.
- Vanilla extract - A good quality extract enhances the sweet and creamy flavors.
- Whey isolate protein powder - Opt for a high-quality protein powder with the eight essential amino acids the body needs to build strength and muscles. It should be finely ground, unflavored with no artificial additives, and dissolve instantly.
How To Make Protein Rice Crispy Treats
Step 1: Prep. Spray a 9"x13" glass baking dish with a generous amount of cooking spray. Set the dish aside.
Step 2: Melt butter and marshmallows. Add the butter and marshmallows to a large, non-stick pot, and melt over low heat, constantly stirring, until smooth.
Step 3: Mix with vanilla and protein powder. Once the marshmallows are melted, remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and protein powder. It's important to move quickly and mix everything while the marshmallows are still warm. Finally, stir in the crispy rice cereal.
Step 4: Cool, slice, and serve. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, and gently press the mixture out in an even layer. Let cool completely, then cut into a dozen 3"x 4" bars. Enjoy!
Quick serving tip from the home chef: Wash your protein rice crispy treat down with a glass of Fairlife milk. It has twice as much protein, no lactose, and less sugar, so it's a great post-workout protein source -and that's a win in my book. I also LOVE their chocolate milk! FYI: This post is NOT sponsored by Fairlife; I just really love the product and buy it frequently to get the family to drink more protein.
Recipe Tips
- Use extra fresh marshmallows. Trust me, a bag of freshly purchased marshmallows makes a big difference.
- Work quickly. As soon as you remove the melted marshmallows and butter from the heat, the mixture will begin to harden, so add the vanilla and protein powder ASAP, and stir continuously, then add the cereal.
- Work with wet hands. The trick to keeping the mixture from sticking to your fingers as you press it into the pan is lightly dampening your fingertips with water, melted coconut oil, or melted butter. You can also spray the back of a large spoon with cooking spray and use that to spread out the mixture in the pan, pressing down to flatten.
- Cool at room temperature. For the classic soft and chewy texture, these homemade treats must be cooled at room temperature for at least a half hour. If you set the dish in the fridge to speed things up, they will become hard and brittle.
Variations
The topping options are endless when making your own protein rice crispy treats. Check out the list below for some of the many ways to upgrade the flavor and presentation of your cereal bars:
- Chocolate chips
- Chocolate drizzle
- Extra mini marshmallows
- Mini M&Ms
- Peanut butter chips
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Reeces Pieces
- White chocolate chips
Storing & Freezing
Storing: These rice crispy treats are best the same day they are prepared. If you're lucky enough to have extra, keep the bars stored in an airtight glass container at room temperature for up 2 days. Do NOT refrigerate!
Freezing: After cooling and cutting, wrap each bar in a piece of wax paper, place them in a freezer-safe resealable bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature the same day you plan to eat them.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but keep an eye on the ingredients. Regular Rice Krispies Cereal is NOT certified gluten-free, but Kellogg's does make a gluten-free version. If you can't find Kellogg's, other brands of crisped rice cereal are gluten-free. Also, be sure to use gluten-free marshmallows (most brands are) and gluten-free protein powder.
This may have happened for several reasons, so let's troubleshoot. The bars lose their tender, crisp, and chewy texture when the marshmallows aren't fresh, the mixture is compacted into the baking dish too tight, or the bars are cooled too quickly by setting them in the fridge.
Crisped rice cereal plus sugar provide the right amount of quickly, easily digestible carbs that instantly boost energy to power you through a challenging workout.
More Protein Snacks You'll Love
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Protein Rice Crispy Treats
Ingredients
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal can use regular or brown rice crisps
- 6 cups mini marshmallows
- 6 tablespoon butter I use the olive oil blend sticks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unflavored whey isolate protein powder
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside
- In a large, non-stick pot, melt butter and marshmallows on low heat, stirring constantly
- When all marshmallows are melted, remove pot from the heat and immediately stir in vanilla and protein powder, stirring quickly while marshmallow mixture is warm
- Stir in crispy rice cereal and press into the glass baking dish. Allow bars to cool then cut and enjoy. These bars are best eaten the same day.
Notes
- Use extra fresh marshmallows. Trust me, a bag of freshly purchased marshmallows makes a big difference.
- Work quickly. As soon as you remove the melted marshmallows and butter from the heat, the mixture will begin to harden, so add the vanilla and protein powder ASAP, and stir continuously, then add the cereal.
- Work with wet hands. The trick to keeping the mixture from sticking to your fingers as you press it into the pan is lightly dampening your fingertips with water, melted coconut oil, or melted butter. You can also spray the back of a large spoon with cooking spray and use that to spread out the mixture in the pan, pressing down to flatten.
- Cool at room temperature. For the classic soft and chewy texture, these homemade treats must be cooled at room temperature for at least a half hour. If you set the dish in the fridge to speed things up, they will become hard and brittle.
Nutrition
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Milissa
What is the purpose of adding apple sauce?
amee
The apple sauce replaces some of the butter in the recipe to add moisture without extra fat.